Midway through the first quarter after missing two jumpers, Tim Duncan threw the ball up yet again, then held his arms wide. This time, would the shot fall? It did. And much later the Spurs' big man hit an even bigger one. Duncan's first 3 of the season with just ticks left sent his team into double overtime against the revenge-minded Phoenix Suns.
Unable to slow down Manny Ramirez, the New York Yankees nearly knocked him flat -- whether they intended to or not. Ramirez hit two more homers off an ineffective Mike Mussina, leading Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox past the Yankees 7-5 Thursday night in a game that almost got testy. With Ramirez enjoying his latest outburst against his favorite foe, New York reliever Kyle Farnsworth threw a...
The San Antonio Spurs wrapped up the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs in dominant fashion, routing the Utah Jazz 109-80 on Wednesday night. The Spurs will face the sixth-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round. The Jazz will take on the Houston Rockets. The Spurs' win, coupled with Houston's victory earlier Wednesday evening, firmed up seeds 3-6 in the West, which were still up in the air...
A playoff spot, 50 wins and a second straight tight victory over an elite team. Just a few weeks ago, the Dallas Mavericks didn't seem capable of pulling off any of those. Now, they're doing it all. Dirk Nowitzki immediately answered a banked-in, game-tying 3-pointer from Deron Williams by running down the court and swishing a 3 of his own with 0.9 seconds left, giving Dallas a 97-94 victory over...
So patient for 20 years, Kansas had no problem working an extra five minutes to bring a long-awaited championship back to the heartland. Mario Chalmers hit a 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in regulation to push the game into overtime, and the Jayhawks grinded it out from there for a 75-68 victory Monday night over Memphis in one of the best title games in recent memory.
After missing all his field goals against one of the San Antonio Spurs' in-state rivals a week ago, Michael Finley tweaked his pregame routine in hopes that he would perform a little better against the other. It seems to have worked. Finley scored 22 points on Sunday and the Spurs picked up their seventh straight win with an easy 109-88 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Joe Nathan is staying with the Minnesota Twins rather than following Johan Santana, Torii Hunter and Carlos Silva out of town. Nathan and the Twins agreed to terms Monday on a $47 million, four-year contract, a deal that includes a 2012 club option on the 33-year-old closer. The Twins weren't going to get rid of the two-time All-Star, not after deciding to deal Santana and watching Hunter and Silva...
North Carolina made everything look easy in its first two NCAA tournament games, from running out to big early leads to cracking the 100-point mark with plenty of time left on the clock. The only people who don't sound all that impressed are, well, those same Tar Heels. "We don't think that winning two games in the NCAA tournament is a huge success for us," junior Marcus Ginyard said.
San Diego's Rob Jones didn't even bother leaving his feet when the ball was tossed up to start the game. The 6-foot-6 forward knew he didn't have a chance against Connecticut's 7-foot-3 center Hasheem Thabeet. When the same thing happened to begin overtime, Jones jumped so high he nearly got the tip -- a clear indication of how confident the Toreros had become.
Stung by the cascade of boos that rained from the crowd at the end of the second period, Sabres forward Thomas Vanek gave Buffalo fans something big to cheer about in the third. Vanek scored three consecutive goals in less than 8 minutes, including the winner with 6:46 remaining, as Buffalo scored six third-period goals in a a 7-4 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.
Vijay Singh was forced to take four days off from practicing, which was unprecedented. He found himself atop the leaderboard one week later at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which is not surprising in the least. Weakened by a stomach virus that caused him to lose 18 pounds in five days, Singh recovered in time to make a strong defense of his Bay Hill title by chipping in twice Friday on his way to...
Randy Lerner wolfed down the last bites of lunch in the Browns' cafeteria, where the owner shared a table with former quarterback Bernie Kosar, before heading up to his office overlooking practice fields now buried in snow. It's a relatively quiet time in the NFL, those weeks between the frenetic first days of free agency and April's college draft.
Robby Gordon received a season-saving reprieve from a NASCAR appeals committee Wednesday when the three-member panel restored the 100 points he had been docked for an infraction at Daytona.
Utilityman Scott Spiezio was cut by the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, released after being charged in a six-count complaint involving drunken driving and assault in a December car crash. "We had heard some things about this," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said. "Ultimately nothing was ever confirmed to the level it was today.
Chris Paul had 31 points, 11 assist and a career-high nine steals, spoiling Jason Kidd's debut with Dallas and lifting the New Orleans Hornets to a 104-93 victory over the Mavericks on Wednesday night. Kidd, acquired Tuesday from New Jersey, looked out of sorts at times, committing six turnovers. Meanwhile, Paul's dazzling performance on both ends of the floor had the enraptured crowd on its feet,...
Jason Spezza was delighted to have Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley flanking him again on the NHL's most productive scoring line. Spezza scored three goals and a career-high six points, and Ottawa's top trio combined for 15 points in a 6-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night. Alfredsson, who returned after missing four games because of a nagging hip injury, had two goals and three...
The Detroit Red Wings finally got a lucky bounce. Henrik Zetterberg's 30th goal broke a scoreless tie with 2:20 left and Dominik Hasek made 15 saves for his 80th career shutout to lift Detroit to a 2-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night. Kris Draper added an empty-netter with 13 seconds left for league-best Detroit, which won its sixth straight.
Chris Paul had 23 points, 17 assists, and nine rebounds, and the New Orleans Hornets ran away with their ninth-straight win, 117-93 over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. A jubilant crowd broke into repeated chants of "M-V-P" in recognition of a masterful performance by the Hornets' guard, who is New Orleans' best shot at making the All-Star game here next month as a reserve.
The San Diego Padres were down by six runs with two innings to play. Their manager had been tossed. So had their starting catcher. Those old road woes seemed to be back. Then came one big hit after another, capped by Chase Headley's two-run homer in the 10th, and the Padres won their 10th straight game, beating Arizona 9-7 on Monday.
A newly released police report indicates the person who called 911 about an overdose at Isiah Thomas' home believed the victim had stopped breathing. The patient's name is redacted from the Town of Harrison report, which was released Thursday night under a Freedom of Information request from The Associated Press.
Six to eight players are under investigation by the NFL for violating the league's drug policy by taking a weight-loss diuretic that is considered a masking agent for steroids. A person familiar with the case provided the number of players involved Monday, saying estimates of a higher figure were untrue.
The U.S. Open might have one tough act to follow. Tiger Woods was pure theater at Torrey Pines last year, playing on a left leg so badly injured that the U.S. Open turned out to be his last event of the year. He made two eagles on the final six holes in prime time Saturday to take the lead, forced a playoff with a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday, then battled Rocco Mediate over 19 holes...
Terry Francona has won two World Series championships in five seasons -- as many as any Red Sox manager in franchise history. And he has these souvenirs of his time in Boston as well: A foot infection, a knee replacement, staph infections in both knees, chest pains, several years on blood-thinners, a life-threatening blood clot in his lungs and now a back problem that will require surgery.
Blake DeWitt capped a five-run first inning with a bases-loaded triple against Jamie Moyer, and the Los Angeles Dodgers built a 6-1 lead over the Philadelphia Phillies after three innings Sunday night as Game 3 of the NL championship series turned testy. The benches cleared moments after Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda threw a pitch over Shane Victorino's head, apparently an attempt to retaliate for...
The Seattle Seahawks took two steps to bolster their injured-depleted wide receivers by trading for Keary Colbert and reacquiring Koren Robinson on Tuesday. Seattle agreed to a one-year contract with Robinson, its former No. 1 draft choice. Agent Alvin Keels confirmed the agreement and its length in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier is making gradual improvement from gunshot wounds but is "not out of the woods yet," his agent told a newspaper Thursday. Collier remained in critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, but agent Jeff Jankovich told the Florida Times-Union he was encouraged by what limited knowledge he has of Collier's...
Jaguars linebacker Clint Ingram spent about 14 hours at the hospital Tuesday, waiting with teammates, coaches and Richard Collier's family and friends. He didn't get any of the answers he wanted. "I just really want to know how he's feeling, you know, and go in there and maybe whisper something in his ear to let him know we're behind him," Ingram said Wednesday.
The Louisiana Superdome will be ready for some football Sunday, and the Saints say they're looking forward to celebrating the end of a stressful week with their storm-weary fans. Forced to flee to Indianapolis ahead of Hurricane Gustav, the Saints will be able to open their regular season at home as scheduled against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team announced Tuesday.
Defensive end Derrick Harvey ended a 33-day holdout Wednesday by signing a five-year, $23.8 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Harvey was the last first-round draft pick to sign, a lengthy holdout that frustrated coach Jack Del Rio and left the former Florida standout behind in preparation for the regular season.
The bond between Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers appears to be broken beyond repair. Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Tuesday evening that after approximately six hours of what he called "brutally honest" conversations with Favre over the past two days, the three-time MVP just isn't in the right mind-set to be part of the team.
Is Big Brown really back? After a too-close-for-comfort victory in Sunday's $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, there could be more questions than answers about Big Brown's future. Yes, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner bounced back from his last-place finish in the Belmont Stakes eight weeks ago.
With another come-from-behind win, the surprising Florida Marlins are on the verge of erasing the New York Mets' lead in the NL East. Dan Uggla and Cody Ross hit RBI singles to spark a five-run eighth inning, and Florida overtook New York 7-3 Monday night. The Marlins have rallied to win 31 times this year, most in the National League.
Jermaine Dye downplayed the importance of the Chicago White Sox-Detroit Tigers series before it started, saying it was too early. Dye changed his tune a bit after hitting a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning to lift Chicago to a 6-5 win over Detroit on Friday night. "A big game for them getting back into the race and we stole one," Dye said.
Considering how well they're playing, the Los Angeles Angels would love to start the postseason right now. But that's not the way it works, so they're doing their best to stay in the moment. Casey Kotchman hit a two-run double to cap a three-run rally in the eighth inning, Francisco Rodriguez became the fastest pitcher to 40 saves in big league history, and the Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-3...
Gusts that approached 50 mph required Greg Norman to manufacture shots from his 53-year-old memory Saturday in the British Open, which he called among the toughest tests he has ever faced in golf. It only got harder after he finished another chapter in this incredible script at Royal Birkdale. Norman played the perfect pitch shot over a pot bunker to within a foot of the cup for par, giving him a...
The All-Star break couldn't come at a better time for the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays hope to rest, regroup, then resume baseball's feel-good story after finishing the first half on a sour note. Jhonny Peralta drove in three runs and the Cleveland Indians beat Scott Kazmir and Tampa Bay 5-2 Sunday, handing the Rays their season-worst seventh straight loss and dropping them out of first in the AL East.
Ryan Dempster became the first Cubs pitcher in 31 years to start a season 10-0 at home and Mike Fontenot and Geovany Soto homered Tuesday night to lead Chicago to a 7-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Before the game, the Cubs acquired right-hander Rich Harden from Oakland in a six-player trade. Harden, expected to pitch this weekend against the Giants at Wrigley Field, joins the staff of the NL...
CC Sabathia was a little wild in his debut with the Milwaukee Brewers, but still delivered as advertised in a 7-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. Sabathia (1-0) gave up two earned runs and five hits over six innings in his first outing since being traded by Cleveland on Monday. The reigning AL Cy Young winner walked five, tying the season high he set back in April.
Michael Beasley stood in the doorway to the gym an hour before gametime, iPod in his left hand, head bobbing slightly as he chatted with new Miami Heat teammate Mario Chalmers. He was the picture of cool. And on the court, his demeanor didn't change much. If Beasley was the tiniest bit anxious about his first pro outing -- one that came against the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose, the only player...
The return of Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano trumped the soap opera setting of Jim Edmonds' homecoming and Albert Pujols' 300th home run. Zambrano came off the 15-day disabled list from a shoulder strain with six spotless innings Friday night, leading Chicago to a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a three-game series matching the National League's top two teams.
Andy Pettitte was getting antsy during a sixth-inning rain delay. He figured he owed the New York Yankees at least a few more outs, but his body was beginning to stiffen up in the clubhouse. So the 36-year-old lefty went down to the bullpen and started throwing to stay loose, which helped him get through one more valuable inning before calling it a day.
Joba Chamberlain broke into the majors last season pitching like this for only one inning. Now that he's going much longer than that, the New York Yankees can only guess what kind of starter they might soon have. Chamberlain was dominant in his first major league win as a starter and the Yankees bounced back from one of their worst losses of the season, routing the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-0 Wednesday...
Astros pitcher Shawn Chacon was suspended indefinitely by the team Wednesday for insubordination after reportedly grabbing general manager Ed Wade by the neck and throwing him to the ground. Chacon, upset after getting demoted to the bullpen over the weekend, told the Houston Chronicle this problem began when Wade saw him in the dining room before the game against Texas.
Mark Teixeira sounded more relieved than overjoyed after his second career three-homer game. "It was good. I haven't been hitting the ball great this year," he said. He definitely hit the ball well Sunday, connecting from both sides of the plate to lead the Atlanta Braves to an 8-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
Joe Girardi signaled to the bullpen before he reached the mound. He wasn't going to let Joba Chamberlain talk him out of it. The Yankees manager would love for the converted reliever to get his first win as a starter, but not at the expense of throwing too many pitches. Chamberlain would have to settle for another no-decision and a career-high nine strikeouts in New York's 2-1 win Thursday to sweep...
Cliff Floyd and Evan Longoria hit solo home runs Tuesday night, helping the Tampa Bay Rays spoil Lou Piniella's return to Tropicana Field with a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Floyd's shot to right field off Ryan Dempster traveled an estimated 429 feet. Longoria led off the sixth with his 11th of the season, snapping a 1-all tie against Neal Cotts (0-1), who had a two-base throwing error in the...
David Stern came to the defense of his beleaguered referees again Thursday, saying they don't manipulate games or engage in other criminal activity. And just to make sure, the NBA will go back and re-interview every single referee about Tim Donaghy's latest allegations of rigged playoff series in 2002 and 2005.
As Javier Valentin dug in, representing the Cincinnati Reds' final chance to score a run, right-hander Braden Looper felt a little pressure and started second-guessing himself for the first time all night. What should he throw next? The St. Louis Cardinals' reliever-turned-starter made the right choices and threw to the right spots, finishing off his first career shutout Wednesday night, 10-0 over...
A threat to hit 400? Chipper Jones is already there. The Atlanta Braves slugger cracked his 400th career home run Thursday night and finished with four hits in a 7-5 victory over the Florida Marlins, raising his major league-leading batting average to .418. Jones came out of the dugout for what he said was only the second curtain call of his career as fans cheered his milestone homer in the sixth...
Joba Chamberlain struggled with his control, walked off the mound in the third inning and threw his glove in the dugout. His first major league start was a memorable one, all right. Just not for the reasons he'd hoped. Chamberlain lasted just 2 1-3 innings and Roy Halladay held the New York Yankees in check despite some control problems of his own, leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a 9-3 victory on...
Mike Jarvis found a home in Boca Raton four years ago. Now, he's got a job to go with it. Jarvis was introduced Tuesday as the men's basketball coach at Florida Atlantic, returning to run a program for the first time since St. John's fired him six games into the 2003-04 season. University trustees still must formally approve the hiring, a process that now seems little more than a formality.
Kevin Garnett led the Boston Celtics to their first win on the road in the playoffs. He had plenty of help. Garnett scored 22 points and was one of six players to make the Celtics' first six baskets, helping them build the first of many big leads en route to a 94-80 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night and a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
